Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/555

Rh The emperor is allowed 12 concubines, though he rarely has so many. Usually a man does not take a concubine unless his wife is unfruitful; if the former bears a child, it is treated as legitimate, and becomes the father's heir, unless a child is born to the true wife. Divorces are common. Seven causes for divorce are enumerated in the "Woman's Great Study," viz.: barrenness, disobedience to husband or mother-in-law, gossiping, lewdness, leprosy, jealousy, theft. Prostitution is legalized, and is not specially disreputable. In the large cities the yujomachi or prostitutes' quarter is the most beautiful part of the city. Children are no longer bred to the trade from their infancy, as formerly, but young girls may voluntarily choose to be courtesans, and bind themselves to the brothel-keepers for a term of years. They are taught music and several other accomplishments, and often marry well, being better educated than the mass of the women. In the afternoon, at the brothel, they dress, paint, and powder themselves, put on splendid robes, and toward evening sit in a semicircle, motionless and waiting for the choice of some passer-by. The front of the raised room in which they sit is open to the street, or separated only by latticework for visitors to look through. Prostitution is in the cities confined to particular quarters, and is under strict governmental inspection. Prostitutes must wear a certain kind of dress, and tie their girdles in front instead of behind. Suicide is very common in Japan, and the ancient style of committing hara-kiri (belly-cut) is still in vogue, though evidently becoming obsolete. During the year 1872 at least 20 public instances of ripping up the belly took place. A proposition made in the supreme council to abolish the custom was not adopted.—The agriculture of the Japanese is conducted with diligence and skill. Irrigation is judiciously applied, and manure of all kinds, especially human, is carefully collected, and used in the production of generally good harvests. The grain principally raised is rice, which is of a superior quality, and is now an article of export. Next to rice tea is the great object of cultivation. Since the opening of the country an immense number of new tea plantations have been set out. The teas of Uji and Suruga are considered the best. Coarse sugar is obtained from Satsuma and universally used by the people, but the process of sugar refining is not yet fully understood. The gardeners of Japan have attained the art of dwarfing as well as enlarging vegetable productions. In the miniature gardens and at the flower shows they exhibit full-grown trees of various kinds 2 and 3 ft. high. Pine trees 3 in., bamboo 2 in., and blossoming plum trees 6 in. high are common. The pine, bamboo, and plum are usually planted together in pots, and called shochikubai, a word compounded of the three names. Trees and plants are also trained to grow so as to resemble birds, tortoises, quadrupeds, men, ships, mountains, &c. In ornamental gardening the Japanese possess wonderful skill, and every kind of landscape is represented in their gardens.—The Japanese are admirable workers in metals. Iron, copper, and brass are wrought in every part of the country, and the swords of Japan have long been famous. They are made of the finest iron, with an edge of steel. The ornaments upon their hilts and handles, made of copper, silver, or gold, with inlaid work of various metals, are not only curiosities, but works of high art, often representing national heroes, mythology, &c. In alloying and coloring metals they are famous experts. They are skilful in carving wood and metal, in die-sinking, and in the casting of metal statues used for idols, lanterns, cannon, &c. A copper statue of Buddha (Jap. Dai Butsu) at Kamakura is nearly 50 ft. in height, and is a fine work of art. Their bronzes, which embody the national art, and express in metal their legendary lore and symbolism, have won admirers in every land, being sought after for their chaste proportions, exquisite beauty, excellence of mechanism, and fineness of metal. Their lacquering in wood excels that of all other nations. At the Vienna exhibition in 1873, not only their bronze and lacquer work, but their wood and stone carvings, mosaics, basket work, tortoise shell, inlaid and ivory work, fans, silk flowers, toys, cut crystal, and leather, were greatly admired and highly praised. The manufacture of glass is still in its infancy in Japan, and only the simplest articles are made, and these of inferior glass. They make a great variety of cotton goods; in crapes, camlets, brocade, and figured silk for girdles, they excel. Paper, which is applied to manifold uses, even for napkins and handkerchiefs, is made from the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), and is noted for its silkiness, lustre, toughness, and softness. It is very abundant, and of all qualities. Paper shops are exceedingly numerous. Kioto, Tokio, and Ozaka are the chief seats of manufactures. Kioto is noted for its damasks, satins, camlets, crapes, silk fabrics of every sort, lacquered articles, screens, fans, paints, grindstones, porcelain, and earthenware. At Tokio nearly every kind of manufacture is carried on. The people show the greatest eagerness and aptitude for imitating all kinds of European manufactures. In nearly every house of the samurai class is seen a map or globe, thermometer, barometer, Yankee clock, or lamp. Most of the intelligent natives who can afford them wear watches. Telescopes, microscopes, knives, and spoons are made by the natives from European models, at a cheap rate. In all the cities and large towns shops filled with foreign articles are found, where looking glasses, clocks, watches, spoons, notions, boots and shoes, condensed milk, beer, colored engravings, fancy soap, canned fruit, pickles, brushes and combs, panes of glass, wine and brandy, rugs, carpets, underclothing, &c., are sold. All these things